Full name RICHARD MICHAEL SHAFFER/SHAY-fur/…Married, Danielle...Attended Providence High School in Charlotte, NC...Played at Clemson University, where he became the first player in school history to be named first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference at 2 infield positions (1B, 3B)...Played 1B his first 2 seasons for the Tigers (2010-2011) before moving across to 3B as a junior (2012)...In his career at Clemson hit .325/.449/.562 (47 2B, 30 HR, 137 RBI), including .336/.480/.573 in his final year (10 HR, 46RBI)...In the June 2012 draft was rated the top prospect in the state of South Carolina...At Clemson, wore uniform #8 in honor of childhood hero Cal Ripken Jr....On 9/20/98, at age 7 went to Camden Yards to watch Ripken play in person for the first time...That day, Ripken's Major League record streak of consecutive games played ended at 2,632...IF Brad Miller, a teammate at Clemson and with Tampa Bay, was a groomsman in Shaffer's wedding...Twitter @Rshaff8...Dad, Rick, grew up in Cleveland and was an Indians fan growing up.
2017
Spent the entire season at Triple-A Columbus...Finished second in the International League in home runs (30) and strikeouts, tied for second in RBI (89), tied for fourth in walks (67) and fifth in slugging pct. (.464)...Led organizational hitters in homers and was tied for first (Bobby Bradley) in RBI...Appeared in 57 games in left field, 26 games in right field and at first base and 18 games at third base...Hit .239 off RHP (.817 OPS) and .191 off LHP (.757 OPS)...From August 1 thru the end of the season he batted .155 (18/116) with 7 HR & 17 RBI over his last 33 games...Was an International League Midseason All-Star and was named the game's Top Star (HR, 2B).
2016
Spent most of the season at Class AAA Durham, but appeared in 20 games during three stints with the Rays (8/3-8/9, 9/20-8/23, 9/6-remainder of the season)...Appeared in 11 games at first base, 4 games at third base and 2 games in the outfield (RF) for the Rays...Was the International League's Player of the Week for the first week of the season...Appeared in 67 games at third base, 19 games at first base and 28 games in the outfield at Triple-A. In November was traded to the Mariners but on Dec. 7 was designated for assignment...On Dec. 14 was claimed off waivers by the Phillies, then 6 days later again was designated for assignment...On Dec. 23 was claimed off waivers by the Reds and claimed by the Indians on Jan. 26...Designated for assignment on January 30 by Cleveland and outrighted to AAA Columbus roster on Feb. 2 (invited to spring training as NRI)...Entered the season rated by Baseball America the Rays' 11th-best prospect overall and the player in their organization with the Best Power and Best Outfield Arm...In BA's annual Best Tools survey of minor league managers, was tabbed the Best Power Prospect and Best Infield Arm in the International League.
2015
Saw his first action in the majors over two stints with the Rays...played in 31 games with 18 starts (8-1B, 5-DH, 4-3B, 1-LF) and appeared twice in RF…Named the Rays Minor League Player of the Year after leading Rays minor leaguers with 26 HR and tying for 2nd with 72 RBI between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham...combined for a career-high 30 HR in 467 AB between the minors and majors…Four of his 14 hits with the Rays were solo homers, all of which came in the 7th inning or later...half of his hits went for extra bases (3-2B, 4-HR)…Selected to the 40-man roster on Aug 3 and made his debut that night at CWS, starting at 1B...was HBP (Jose Quintana) in his first career plate app, joining Delmon Young (Aug 29, 2006 at CWS) as the only Rays ever to do that…Recorded his first career hit the next night, Aug 4 at CWS, with a home run off Daniel Webb-the tail end of back-to-back homers with Asdrubal Cabrera...became the eighth Ray to homer for his first major league hit, and third in 2015 joining Nathan Karns and Mikie Mahtook…Drew a walk in each of his first 3 career games, joining Evan Longoria (first 4 games in 2008) as the only Rays to do so…In his Tropicana Field debut (Aug 9 vs. NYM) went 3-for-3 with a homer off Bartolo Colon and scored 3 runs, sparking the Rays to a 4-3 victory...became the third Ray with at least 3 hits and a homer in his Tropicana Field debut, joining Aki Iwamura (April 6, 2007 vs. TOR) and Tino Martinez (March 30, 2004 vs. NYY)…Played 3B exclusively in the minors prior to 2015...appeared at 1B in 11 games for Durham before making his major league debut at 1B...made his first professional appearance in the outfield Aug 15 at TEX, moving to RF after entering the game as a PH…Optioned to Durham on Aug 17, after batting .263/.391/.579 (5-for-19) with 2 HR in 8 games in his first big league stint...recalled again when rosters expanded Sep 1, and batted .164 (9-for-55) over 23 games in his second tour…Began the season with Montgomery and was promoted to Durham on May 24, when he recorded a career-high 4 hits and 2 HR in his Triple-A debut at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees)-the first of his four multi-homer games for Durham...on June 12 at Louisville (Reds), hit 3 HR-just the third player in the team's Triple-A history to do so…Hit 21 HR before the All-Star break, already surpassing his career high (19 in 2014)...finished tied for 4th in the International League in home runs, despite playing just 69 games...from the time of his May 24 promotion to Durham until his Aug 3 call up, led the IL with 16 homers-including 14 HR in his first 38 games…Started at third base and hit cleanup for the U.S. team in the All-Star Futures Game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati...played the entire game and went 0-for-4…Enters 2016 ranked as the club's No. 11 prospect as well as Best Power Hitter and Best Outfield Arm by Baseball America...was also tabbed as the Best Power Prospect and Best Infield Arm in the International League in the publication's annual Best Tools survey of minor league managers.
